Match Strategy

Working the Point

Some players, after recognizing an opponent’s weakness, direct all their effort into hitting to that weakness. For example, early in a match, a player (player A) may realize that his/her opponent (player B) has a weak backhand.  Player A decides to attack this weakness by hitting multiple shots to player B’s backhand.  Unfortunately, this strategy backfires on player A because player B stays camped out on the backhand side and doesn’t have to run to hit a return. After a number of shots, player A gets frustrated and decides to go for broke with a shot wide to player B’s forehand. Typically, player A over hits the ball and loses the point. A better strategy would be for player A to hit a few shots to player B’s backhand in an effort to get him/her deep into the backhand side. When this is accomplished, player A should drive a moderately paced ball to player B’s forehand side. The purpose of this shot would be to get player B on the other side of the court. With this shot, player A now has the opportunity to force player B into hitting a backhand on the run by driving the next shot into the backhand side of the court. Player A could increase the pressure on Player B by going to the net. Always try to make your opponent run to hit a shot. Manipulating your opponent by making him/her move up and back or side to side to hit a shot will often result in an unforced error by your opponent or an opportunity for you to hit a winning shot because your opponent is out of position.

George Haley